Seahawks pass on QBs, add Walker to backfield early in Round 2

The Seattle Seahawks selected Michigan State running back Kenneth Walker III in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft, No. 41 overall.

The Seahawks passed on quarterbacks on back-to-back picks early in the second round, taking edge rusher Boye Mafe one selection before Walker. Seattle has a gaping hole at quarterback after trading Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos at the beginning of the offseason.

Walker rushed for 1,636 yards with 18 touchdowns at Michigan State last season and won the Doak Walker Award as the nation's top running back. Seattle made him the second rusher to come off the board following Breece Hall.

The 21-year-old will join a crowded Seahawks backfield that already includes Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny. Carson played in only four games in 2021 because of a neck injury.

Scouting profile: Kenneth Walker III

Walker is an impressive ball carrier with the tools to be an early-down stud in any system. Arm tackles aren't going to get the job done against his compact frame and he has the burst and power to consistently get to the second level, where he's a nightmare to deal with in space. The main knock against him is a lack of passing-down work, which doesn't mean he's incapable of excelling in that area - it just means we haven't seen him do it. If Walker can convince NFL coaches he's up for the challenge as a receiving threat and pass protector, his ceiling will be much closer to that of the top back in this class, Breece Hall.